One Month Until Historic 40th Anniversary International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) Conference!

The Potsdam, Germany venue is a beautiful and instructive exemplar of livability; we will gather there to examine local lessons, share cutting-edge international research, and explore hands-on knowledge about making cities livable -- at a critical time for the healthy development of cities, towns and suburbs.

ABOVE: a few of Potsdam's many livable delights, offering many practical lessons.

POTSDAM, Germany - With one month to go, attendees will gather here from October 15th to 19th to explore the latest frontier research and cutting-edge practice in making cities livable -- as well as timeless lessons. Topics will include walkability, public space quality, zoning reform, neighborhood health, social capital (community networks and inclusion), green cities and climate resilience / adaptation, affordable housing, gentrification, displacement, homelessness, and age-friendly cities.

The theme of the conference is, "What Is the Architecture of the (Livable) Future?" — exploring what architectural forms, urban patterns, and design approaches will best serve the health of people and planet in the coming decades. What are the best resources, from whatever time or place, to meet our challenges? And how can we confront old paradigms of design that are failing us -- that are rooted in the fallacies of almost a century ago -- and begin to engage in a "big rethink" (in the words of critic Peter Buchanan) about the architecture of the future?

To do that, we will explore emerging findings from the sciences, and their emerging implications for architecture and urban design, including neuroscience, neuroaesthetics, environmental psychology, sociology, medicine, and other fields. They offer important lessons for how humans perceive beauty, health, nature, and how built environment can support health & well-being of both people and planet, through concepts like biophilia, nature-based solutions, and an understanding of cities as complex adaptive systems. We will also explore generative design, the use (and dangers) of AI, and other computer-based design processes.

We will also explore ways to frame and activate public space, connecting public/private/semi-private edges. One of the key questions is how architecture contributes to (or degrades) the quality of public spaces, and how the "collective intelligence" of centuries of evolution can provide critical resources to meet our ecological, cultural and economic needs.

We will hear from local officials and experts in Potsdam's history, including the recent reconstructions and new buildings in a traditional character. Among them is Deputy Bernd Rubelt, Deputy Mayor for Urban Development, Construction, Economy, and Environment, and Thomas Albrecht, architect of some of the reconstructions.

ABOVE: Historic Potsdam, reconstructed after the war in an unpopular modernist style by the East German government, and more recently reconstructed in a revival of the city's historic patterns.

93 attendees of the 100 attendee capacity are already registered for the conference. Travel in the Berlin area is convenient and accessible, and fares and hotel rates are still reasonable. Interested parties should visit the website for more information: https://www.imcl.online/potsdam-2025

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Begun in 1985, the International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) conference series, hosted by the Lennard Institute for Livable Cities, has become a premier international gathering and resource platform for more livable, humane and ecological cities and towns. Our flagship conferences are held in beautiful and instructive cities hosted by visionary leaders able to share key lessons. We are a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation based in the USA, with alternating events and activities in Europe and other parts of the world.

Attendee comments about previous conferences:

“A wonderful conference.”

“It was brilliantly organized!”

“I left the conference encouraged - there are many challenges ahead of us, but I am so invigorated by the tenacity of those stepping up to face them.”

“This is the best conference I've ever attended. There was much to take in; so many people with exceptional experience.”

40th Anniversary IMCL will focus on "changing the operating system for growth" at a critical time for livable cities and towns

Partners, researchers and practitioners will bring the latest research and action on code reform, transportation design, financial incentives and barriers, legislative and policy tools, livable design practice, and other hands-on urban reforms, as the world increasingly demands a new generation of better-quality cities, towns and suburbs

ABOVE: Devastated by bombing during WWII, and then rebuilt by the East German government in a widely disliked character, Potsdam is being transformed by reconstruction today. Photos provided by Bart Urban, speaker at IMCL.

POTSDAM, GERMANY - In less than two months, the 62nd International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) conference will convene here to examine the latest tools and strategies for a new generation of more resilient, more ecological, more livable cities, towns and suburbs.

This comes at a turbulent time for cities, and for global history. We seek not just healthier places for people and planet, but ways to find effective consensus on building a better world. All people are united in their desire to live in a beautiful, functional, prosperous neighborhood and town -- and that literal "common ground" offers an important opportunity to heal divisions, and forge pragmatic consensus on our shared challenges.

The conference recognizes that there are many obsolete technical, legal and financial requirements that still shape and profoundly limit what can be done to improve cities and towns -- what we might think of as a kind of global "operating system for growth." It consists of all the zoning codes, design codes, traffic standards, technical regulations, legal restrictions, financial requirements, incentives and disincentives, hidden subsidies and penalties, design models and images, and all the other elements that, taken together, still determine what can be built and where.

That's why reforms of these obsolete codes, regulations, laws, standards, models, and all the rest, are so urgent -- and why we need to learn from the examples that have made the most progress, and share and adapt their tools and strategies.

Above: We are still building a generation of high resource-consumption, high-emissions, fragmented -- and just plain ugly -- places, based upon an outmoded and failing set of ideas from early in the 20th century. Inspiring examples of reform show us what can be done -- but we recognize the work ahead to bring them to scale.

The conference will focus on bridging the gap from understanding to ACTION – sharing the tools and strategies needed to effect a transition to more ecological ways of building and settling, in the fullest sense of the word.

As we do every year, we will examine our host venue (Potsdam this year) and its in-depth lessons, as well as other inspiring examples of progress in livable settlements. We will seek to understand how those lessons can translate into effective action in other parts of the world, and how conference attendees can play a key role in making that happen.

Some inspiring examples of livable, healthy cities and towns, new and old. We chose to discard these models of development in favor of mechanized autopia, and we can now choose -- if we want -- to re-engage them. But we need the tools and strategies.

Potsdam is a beautiful venue, and a remarkable case study -- devastated during World War II, it was rebuilt under the East German government in a character that few have felt was satisfactory. The city is now assessing the value of its own heritage, and the value of exploiting the "collective intelligence" for contemporary challenges, including the challenges of health, well-being, economic opportunity, ecology, and quality of life for all.

The IMCL is partnering with a number of key institutions and agencies for this conference, including UN-Habitat, The King's Foundation, the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture, and Urbanism (INTBAU), and the Congress for the New Urbanism.

Innovative researchers will present new findings on urban and environmental issues from leading global universities amd research centers including The University of Cambridge, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, EURAC Research, The University of Notre Dame, The University of Texas, The Technion, and others. A partial listing of some of the over 60 speakers:

Potsdam is not without its challenges -- as with any city today. We will hear from local participants in its successes and struggles, and how they actually "moved the needle" to drive change. We will share many of the most effective tools and strategies available today, including walkability interventions, pattern languages, planning tools, collaborative design practices, and many more.

Potsdam is easily accessible from the Berlin airport, and also easily accessible by train from Europe and the UK. There are excellent hotel options in the area of the conference, the MAXX Hotel Sanssouci. The venue is just off Luisenplatz Square, at the gateway of the spectacular Sanssouci Park. (We will have walking tours of the park, the city, and fascinating historic reconstructions.) We look forward to a productive gathering on important topics, in a beautiful locale!

Above: Sights from Potsdam.

For more information about the conference: https://www.imcl.online/potsdam-2025

IMCL Potsdam Announces Friday Evening Discussion Dinner at the Historic Mill Restaurant, and Other Evening Activities

Attendees are encouraged to sign up for the ticketed dinner and to select their menu items now; tickets for tours will be available soon

ABOVE: Restaurant Zur Historischen Mühle, or "The Historic Mill Restaurant". Photo: Restaurant Zur Historischen Mühle

POTSDAM, GERMANY - The 62nd International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) conference will

include a discussion dinner and awards ceremony at the Historic Mill (Zur Historischen Mühle) restaurant in beautiful Sanssouci Park, a 15-minute walk from our conference venue at the MAXX Hotel Sanssouci.

The evening will include dinner and drinks, and an awards ceremony and discussion of conference topics. Conference attendees can select their preferred entrees from meat, fish or vegetarian menu items. The starter course will be a Farmer’s Salad with sheep’s milk panna cotta, assorted tomatoes, cucumber relish, candied olives, and onion. Dessert will be Black Forest cherry dessert. Drinks including red and white wine, juice and water will be offered.

ABOVE: The restaurant's Palmenhaus, where we will hold our discussion and awards dinner

The dinner is optional, and tickets are

available for attendees as well as one guest each ($85.00 per person) on the conference website, here. Guests may want to stroll through the stunning Sanssouci Park on the way to or from the restaurant. The historic mill referenced in the restaurant's name is across the street, and other beautiful structures are also nearby (image below).

ABOVE: The Historic Mill, adjacent to the restaurant. Photo: Public Domain.

On Thursday evening, we will have a walking tour to the beautiful Alter Markt square, newly rebuilt after devastating World War II bombing, and also replacing some modernist buildings of the East German era that were felt to be unattractive and unworthy of this historic space. The tour will be led by Thomas Albrecht, one of the architects of the restoration and regeneration in Potsdam and elsewhere.

ABOVE: The beautiful Alter Markt area in winter, when the IMCL team visited to prepare for the conference.

One of the themes of the conference is what we can learn from and benefit from historic structures -- not only the "hardware" of rebuilt or restored buildings, but also the "software" of their successful patterns and characteristics. It is a thesis of the Lennard Institute that these structures embody important resources for meeting our urban challenges today, notably the challenge of making cities livable.

On Wednesday, the 15th of October, the conference will begin with a walking tour of Sanssouci Park starting at the MAXX Hotel at 2 PM. The conference will proceed to an opening reception at 5PM at the beautiful Friedenskirche, followed by refreshments and remarks in the MAXX Hotel garden.

On Saturday, the 18th of October, the conference will close with a reception at the MAXX hotel at 5:30 PM. On Sunday, the 19th of October, a tour will be offered of Potsdam, beginning at 9AM at the MAXX Hotel, and ending at 3PM. Tickets will be available on the conference website for both the Wednesday and Sunday tour, as well as the Friday discussion dinner.

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For more information about the IMCL conference, including topics, venue and travel information, please visit the conference web page here.